Tag: behavior

It is certainly necessary to see, or at least try to see, existence as a script that is being written in chapters laden with meaning, connected to a whole whose ultimate significance can only be surmised. However, as soon as one does so, one will see that the planned script does not unfold according to plan, and that, with luck, one can only manage to preserve a little of its general direction. And that is when one must reluctantly accept all sorts of obstacles and detours that may seem illogical, useless, or nothing more than unpleasant. Through them, however, one learns humility and patience. And these virtues, when they bear fruit after decades of practice, instill the certainty that there was never any reason to curse.

Some habits are immune to mental condemnation, and no matter how much they are avoided, they remain there, latent, as a tendency that will manifest itself at the first opportunity. In such cases, there is no way to uproot them except through an abrupt and violent act, which usually does not occur unless motivated by intense distress. Thus, it ends up being necessary, and beneficial, to endure all the corruption stemming from them, to the point where the wear and tear is so great, the revulsion so intense, that reason, thoroughly exasperated and incensed, finds the strength needed to say “never again.”

It is interesting to note how rare stories of redemption are in practice, yet how common they are in thought. That is to say, the mind inclined toward dreaming tends to imagine such an arc for its life, without reflecting on whether it would be desirable or, rather, whether it has any practical benefit. Because a dream, even if it does not come true, still exerts an influence. A whole life spent waiting for this great moment! And, at the same time, a whole life lost in dreaming… There are better plots; more modest ones. But such ambiguity highlights the complexity of human psychology. Visualization is necessary; it guides the creative act. But one must ground it and ground oneself while living, not allowing oneself to get lost in thin air. What remains, then, is everyday reality, always less grand than one would like, but in which one can write a real story.

Thankful should be those who enjoy positive influences which, when they least expect or desire them, draw them in, brighten their days, and bring them an unexpected sense of well-being. On the other hand, those who must deal with opposing influences can never be too careful. Giving in to them often means allowing oneself to be dragged toward an abyss where, in a moment of losing control, one might make a mistake. One is never as far from anguish as one imagines… And, after all, when one knows the true nature of things, heavy is the burden of realizing that the despair one experiences is, in truth, the result less of influences than of decisions.